Hidden Florida: Amazing wildlife beyond the tourist attractions

Beyond the popular theme parks and glitzy beach resorts, Florida is teeming with spectacular wildlife. From majestic birds to prehistoric-looking reptiles to elusive predators, a venture deep into the wild uncovers a side of the Sunshine State few visitors get to see.

To help call attention to the state's biodiversity — and spotlight efforts to preserve and protect it — a team from the Florida Wildlife Corridor, with support from the National Geographic Society, recently undertook an ambitious 70-day, human-powered trek. The Glades to Gulf expedition went from the headwaters of the Everglades near Orlando to Gulf Islands National Seashore near Pensacola, hiking, paddling or biking through more than a thousand miles of deep wilderness.

See the slideshow above for amazing images from the voyage, and learn more about the expedition at FloridaWildlifeCorridor.org.